1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information-signal recording apparatus, an information-signal reproducing apparatus and an information-signal recording and reproducing apparatus, which are capable of performing dubbing.
2. Related Art And Prior Art Statement
In recent years, a cassette management system has been developed in which the contents of a plurality of programs, which are recorded in a cassette video tape, are automatically displayed on a television image plane or a cassette body. A VTR (video tape recorder) which loads this system has also been merchandised. When a library of the cassette video tapes increases, it becomes difficult to determine both how and where a desired program is stored on the cassette tapes. The cassette management system therefore displays management information for every recording to facilitate retrieval operation of a user.
Various methods have been used to implement the cassette management system. For example, there is a method in which a non-volatile memory is provided in a VTR body, and the contents thereof are stored in correspondence with numbers of all the cassettes. However, when many cassettes need to be managed, the memory capacity must correspondingly increase. Accordingly, a method using a recording medium on the side of the cassette is normally adopted. For example, exclusive or dedicated bar code labels can be stuck to the cassettes, an IC memory can be attached to the cassettes, or the like.
FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing an example of the former where exclusive or dedicated labels are stuck to the cassettes.
As shown in FIG. 11, a cassette deck body 1 is provided with a bar code reading/writing section 2. When the cassette tape 3 is loaded, a label 5 which is stuck onto the cassette 3 is positioned against the bar code reading/writing section 2, and a bar code 4 on the label 5 is read by the bar code reading/writing section 2. Cassette management information is recorded on the bar code 4. The cassette management information is displayed on, for example, an image plane based on a signal from the bar code reading/writing section 2.
The bar code reading/writing section 2 can also record cassette management information when the cassette 3 is loaded. During or after a program is recorded, the bar code reading/writing section 2 records the cassette management information onto the label 5 which is stuck to the cassette 3, as the bar code 4. At that time, the cassette information is recorded automatically, on the basis of remote-control input from the user, or the like. In connection with the above, when the recorded contents are changed or modified, the labels are changed or covered, and recording is performed.
FIG. 12 is an explanatory view showing an example in which an IC memory is mounted on the cassette.
As shown in FIG. 12, an IC memory 7 is attached to a cassette 6. The IC memory 7 is connected to metal contacts 8 that are provided on a surface of the cassette 6. A deck body 9 has metal contact portions 10 which short-circuit with the metal contacts 8 on the surface of the cassette 6 when the tape is loaded. A CPU (not shown) transmits data and a clock with respect to the IC memory 7 through the metal contact portions 10. Consequently, the CPU reads cassette management information which is stored in the IC memory 7 and writes desired cassette management information to the IC memory 7.
FIG. 13 is an explanatory view for the description of the cassette management information.
As shown in FIG. 13, the cassette management information includes a cassette number, a tape length, a tape type, a title, a genre, a channel (TV channel), picture-recorded data, picture-recording start time code, and the like. Of these, the picture-recorded date, the channel picture-recorded, the time code that represents picture-recorded recording position of the tape, picture-recording time, and the like are automatically recorded by the VTR upon tape picture-recording. Meanwhile, the title, the genre of the program and the like are recorded by, for example, remote-control input of a user or the like. In connection with the above, when transmission codes such as a program name or the like are subsequently added to a television-broadcasting signal and are transmitted, automatic recording of those codes may also be performed.
In the system shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the cassette management information is not magnetically recorded on the tape. Rather, it is recorded on a cassette management information recording medium such as bar code label, an IC memory, or the like. For this reason, the user can display the cassette management information only when the cassette is loaded, or only when the cassette is mounted on the deck. The cassette management information may be displayed without reproducing the tape. Accordingly, retrieval of the desired program is easy. Moreover, this system achieves increased cassette capacity, increased data reliability, and increased data processing when compared with systems recording cassette management information only the tape. Furthermore, the design is simplified. For these reasons, as the cassette management system, a method of recording the cassette management information onto the cassette management recording medium other than the tape was implemented, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.
When the contents which are recorded onto an 8 mm or a VHS-C cassette are recorded onto a deferred VTR of a VHS system, or the like, dubbing is generally performed. Dubbing is performed by recording the contents of one tape onto a second tape. To achieve dubbing, a device on the reproduction side and a device on the recording side are connected to each other by an image cable, an audio cable, an RF cable or the like. A reproducing signal from the tape on the reproduction side is given as a line input to the device on the recording side, and recording is performed on the tape on the recording side.
Furthermore, in addition to the connecting terminals of these image, audio and RF cables, a digital recording VTR has a digital interface (hereinafter, referred to as "digital I/F"). The image and audio data and the sub-codes, such as the time codes, are reproduced from the tape on the reproducing side and supplied to the device on the recording side, through the digital I/F. The device on the recording side processes the inputted digital data, error correction codes are added to the signals, and the signal is recorded on the tape.
FIG. 14 is an explanatory view showing an example of an interface format of the data which is transmitted through such a digital interface.
In the digital interface format shown in FIG. 14, data of a single frame are divided into n units which are packaged. A header is added to the top of each unit of packaging data. Then, sub-code information is arranged. The header includes data such as synchronous information for transferring the data among devices. Subsequently, the image and audio information is arranged at a predetermined arrangement in order of signal processing.
For example, in a DIVTR that is a broadcasting digital recording VTR, assume that a 4: 2: 2 interface format is adopted in accordance with a recommendation by CCIR. This system transmits image signals, audio signals, and a timing reference signal or the like in synchronism with the image data. Further, in a CD, a DAT or the like, an EIAJ (Japan Electronic Machine Industry) digital audio interface standard is adopted. Under this standard, the audio information, the sub-code information or the like are transmitted. Upon dubbing, the reproducing signal from the device on the reproducing side is inputted through the digital interface to the device positioned on the recording side, the reproducing signal being encoded in accordance with the recording format of the device on the recording side and is recorded onto the tape.
However, in the aforesaid dubbing method, the only information which is recorded onto the tape is that which is reproduced by the device on the reproducing side. The management information recorded onto the IC memory, the bar code label or a like recorded medium separate from the tape is not recorded during dubbing. For this reason, the dubbing operation requires additional re-recording of not only the cassette management information recorded by the user, such as the title, the genre or the like, but also the cassette management information automatically recorded by the VTR such as the TV channel, the recorded date, the time code or the like. This is extremely troublesome.